WIPO Report: Innovation in Transportation Shifts to Greener Technologies

The latest report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on the 6th reveals that global innovation in the transportation sector is increasingly focusing on more environmentally friendly "future technologies," such as air taxis, wireless charging technology for electric vehicles, and autonomous cargo ships. Among these, China, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Germany are leading in innovation in future transportation technologies.

The report, titled "WIPO Technology Trends: The Future of Transportation," points out that since 2000, more than 1.1 million invention patents have been published related to future transportation or technologies aligned with sustainability and digitalization trends, such as green fuels and smart, connected transportation systems. By 2023, the compound annual growth rate of patents in the transportation sector reached 11%, more than double the growth rate of all published patents globally, highlighting the importance of the transportation sector to economic growth.

The report shows that the largest increase in patent applications for transportation technologies is related to sustainable power, such as electric vehicle batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, which ensure a shift toward cleaner and more environmentally friendly transportation methods. Meanwhile, patent growth for traditional products like internal combustion engines and other fossil fuel-based systems has plateaued.

The report also identifies the most innovative countries, companies, and institutions in the transportation sector by examining the latest trends in transportation patents. Data shows that the countries with the most patents related to future transportation technologies are China, Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Germany. Since 2000, these five countries have collectively generated nearly 1.05 million invention patents in this field. The report attributes China's strong growth in related patents to its dominant position in the electric vehicle market in recent years. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)